Big Horse Rescue
The Cycle of Horse Slaughter
What is an acceptable number? We think ZERO horses.
Breaking the Cycle
While the numbers of horses exported for slaughter each year have declined, there is still a lot of work to be done. Horse slaughter in the US has been banned since 2007. However, ​it is estimated that that about 20,000 American horses are still exported live to Mexico and Canada each year. This means these animals are packed in insufferable conditions and shipped long distances to tragic deaths.
Kill pens still exist in the US. These pipelines create opportunities where "kill buyers" target auctions, adoptions, and sales. They then keep the horses in holding pens with minimal care before they are transported to the slaughter pens abroad.
​It is very important to note that these are just estimates...tracking and transparency are very limited. These kill buyers hide their operations and there is no official public data collection to track these animals. Change starts with awareness.​
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Graphic and accompanying article may be found at: https://equineassist.org/kill-pen-rescues-the-real-cost/
Buyer Beware...why buying horses on social media from kill pens is NOT the answer.
Kill buyers also sell horses on social media impersonating concerned animal lovers. They will often create a "timeline".... for example, if the horse is not rescued in 48 hours, it will be sent to a kill pen/slaughter. While not all of these posts are fake, the limited help you offer by saving one of these horses can be disastrous for your family and other horses.
WHY donate to a credible rescue instead? You choose the amount you are comfortable with and the experts at Big Horse Rescue will make sure the horses receive all the proper veterinary care, nutrition and rehabilitation they require. Your dollars will go farther as we work with professionals in the community that volunteer some of their expertise and time to a cause they believe in. We have a responsibility to all of our donors to make sure that each dollar counts towards our mission and your cause. Still want a horse of your own? Rescuing from BHR comes with a lot less risk. You get a horse that has been thoroughly evaluated by vets and trainers to make sure they will be a good horse for your family. We also accept back any adoption that is not right for you.